Roberts Space Industries
<a href="http://www.robertsspaceindustries.com/" target="_blank">Found out about this </a>while watching latest TB mailbox.
Thoughts? Part of my is extremely excited to see another game from the guy who made Wing Commander and Freelancer, other part of me is confused why this isn't on kickstarter and if that should be a bad sign.
Also he mentions continuous development to add more systems after release. To me that says extensive DLC, which I'm not sure I'm interested in getting a tiny product I have to buy DLC to play properly (or heaven forbid its a subscription).
Still, it looks gorgeous.
Thoughts? Part of my is extremely excited to see another game from the guy who made Wing Commander and Freelancer, other part of me is confused why this isn't on kickstarter and if that should be a bad sign.
Also he mentions continuous development to add more systems after release. To me that says extensive DLC, which I'm not sure I'm interested in getting a tiny product I have to buy DLC to play properly (or heaven forbid its a subscription).
Still, it looks gorgeous.
Comments
<!--quoteo--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->On the Kickstarter issue - I love Kickstarter and have backed quite a few projects on it. It wasn't about the 5% at all, which I think is very reasonable for the service they provide and I love that they put crowd funding of games on the map. The reason we made the choice we did was twofold -
1) So the 30,000 members of RSI at the time of announcement wouldn't have to go to a separate site to pledge and then have to connect that account to their RSI account.
2) To allow the sizable contingent of fans outside the US to have other options than having to use an Amazon account, which can be a roadblock for a non US resident.
At the end of the day it was all about trying to make the experience as seamless and friction-less as possible. It didn't work out that way and for that we're sorry. If you would like to also see us on Kickstarter we're happy to provide that as an option as well. Its really about making everyone as comfortable as possible.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
I haven't been more excited about a game in a long, long time, and I've pledged a huge amount of money ($125!) because this is awesome. Be sure to c heck out <a href="http://player.vimeo.com/video/51129845" target="_blank">the trailer</a> and <a href="http://uk.gamespot.com/shows/gamespot-live/?event=roberts_space_industries_gdc_panel20121010" target="_blank">the recording of the livestream</a> because the game looks awesome.
Youch I had not seen tha trailer, although bits and pieces of the footage were used in his pledge video. Looks very cool and well presented.
On the kickstarter issue, I had just thought kickstarter at least gave some assurances and transparency, although I suppose with his reputation it alleviates that. Kickstarter would give him alot more media coverage too.
I've been reading a bit more and down the page there is details of the business model they are going for here - its GW2's business model.
<!--quoteo--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Not a subscription but not free-to-play; rather a hybrid of these two business models. Much like ArenaNet's Guild Wars 2, you will purchase the PC game and pay no recurring subscription charges. Your purchase of the game will allow you to play in the universe for free, forever! The game will offer a variety of virtual items for purchase with in-game credits allowing you to spend money on items that offer more ways to express yourself, provide convenience, and customize your experience. But the cardinal rule regarding "in-game purchases" is: Players who spend money purchasing in-game credits will have no advantage over players who spend time!
Everything is bought with in-game credits. These purchases won't offer any advantage over someone who puts in the "game-time" to earn the same amount of credits. You might ask, why have "in-game" purchases at all? This allows us the resources to support the game on an ongoing basis as well as continually add content.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Since he talks about adding systems and ships, I assume that means you need to pay to get access to them after release. Fair enough I suppose, although I can see it getting irritating if they start releasing ships that are more powerful later. Or perhaps he really will only be limiting access to vague niceties like GW2 does.
Yeah I'm not sure whats up with the citizenship cards.
Ok... Privateer 2 then. Jeebus.
Honestly wing commander was before my time, I played Starlancer and Freelancer of his. Kind of hoping (with what he has been saying), that the game will be a sort of melding of the two but with a larger universe.
I do hope to see more epic space battles though, and more scary capital ships. Freespace games had fantastic capital ships - they truly felt powerful (although scale was off when compared to how large a fighter was). Need flak and beam weapons.
Also did anyone play Diaspora? Need launch tubes in this game lol.
Got a reply from them finally:
"We're looking at adding this right now! Thanks for your interest, I'll keep you updated!"
Well there is a big 'Learn More' button now. Not sure when that appeared, but it goes to the old pledge page. Better labeling anyway.
Well considering the time or monetary investment required for a good website, I cannot blame them. I spend all day faffing about with divs and jquery, but they have other things to do.
Because they already made a Privateer 2. It wasn't very good.
Interesting, but a lot of the design bits nag at me. Like why the ships have radiator fans on the front (that are turning?) while they're in space. Or the use of one large hangar door instead of multiple smaller bays (I know, it was in the original and looks more like an aircraft carrier... but still!). Or the thirty flip-down LCD panels instead of just sticking with a holographic HUD in the fighter. Or that they kept the old WC1-style radial 3D radar (which was awesome) but apparently aren't using it as anything but cockpit decoration.
Also kind of jonesing for the old X(2,3) promise of multiplayer with more than one player working together to run a capital ship... one main pilot, a strategist or three to handle and direct the fighters, and 2-6 to handle the flagship turrets. Not to mention the potential for an engineer to keep the engines, shields, ship power and so on going. So 10-12 (or more) on one capital ship, perhaps 2-6 on a frigate, single-pilot fighters... you could EASILY have enough roles to put together a 64-128 player game even just with two sides.
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It's Chris Roberts. He is absolutely obsessed with making spaceships as much like WW2 naval units as he possibly can. Anyone who doubts this can just go watch the Wing Commander movie he wrote/directed, which is basically "submarine aircraft carriers in space", complete with a bulldozer pushing a crashed fighter off the deck of the spaceship (and yes, it falls straight down like a stone) and a scene where they have to go to silent running so the enemy <strike>submarine</strike> spaceship can't hear them. The scene also has them all standing around silently and not making noises because, y'know, space sonar.
If they're designed for sub-orbital flight, why the heck are they turning while flying in space? Also, a little small for any kind of particulate scoop. Especially in space.
Just pointing out that a LOT of the design is just outright dumb. Hell, even in atmospheric flight a pair of radiator fans spinning lazily isn't really going to compare to the intake requirements for a jet engine.
Oh... and by the way? Ramjets don't use fans. Just saying.
<!--quoteo(post=1994599:date=Oct 21 2012, 03:45 PM:name=X_Stickman)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (X_Stickman @ Oct 21 2012, 03:45 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1994599"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->It's Chris Roberts. He is absolutely obsessed with making spaceships as much like WW2 naval units as he possibly can. Anyone who doubts this can just go watch the Wing Commander movie he wrote/directed, which is basically "submarine aircraft carriers in space", complete with a bulldozer pushing a crashed fighter off the deck of the spaceship (and yes, it falls straight down like a stone) and a scene where they have to go to silent running so the enemy <strike>submarine</strike> spaceship can't hear them. The scene also has them all standing around silently and not making noises because, y'know, space sonar.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
The only good part of that movie was Matthew Lillard.
<!--quoteo(post=1994615:date=Oct 21 2012, 04:21 PM:name=lolfighter)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (lolfighter @ Oct 21 2012, 04:21 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1994615"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Oh god please tell me none of that isn't lies.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
All of that is true. I've watched the movie. I'm still pissed off that the Kilrathi were bald rat-things.
Don't get me wrong. I'm a HUGE WC fan still. Which is why this is fairly disappointing.
Also kind of hoping they allow non-human Citizens to be created, though I'd have to doubt it... with Roberts' track record (notably WC3), it's Humans Uber Alles Or Bust.
Just pointing out that a LOT of the design is just outright dumb. Hell, even in atmospheric flight a pair of radiator fans spinning lazily isn't really going to compare to the intake requirements for a jet engine.
Oh... and by the way? Ramjets don't use fans. Just saying.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Yes... and really when you think about it, where is the gravity coming from on capital ships? And why is there sound in space? And how come the aliens look so much like us? And lasers don't fire in little discrete bursts that you can see, they fire in invisible beams! And what kind of fuel do these ships run on? What is the cockpit made out of?
The real reason for anything being in a video game is "because it's cool." You can, of course, nitpick some detail because it ruins your immersion, and it sounds like it's <i>really easy</i> to ruin your immersion - put some spinny things on the front of a spaceship and suddenly it's a bad game. I guess the artists were just banking on the fact that 99% of their audience sees spinny things and says "cool, spinny things!" instead of "ramjets don't have fans."
If you want a more realistic take on space combat, Starshatter is probably your best bet. This game, like all the other Wing Commander games, is going to be about as realistic as my chances at winning the Olympic gold medal in figure skating.
I mean, the lack of sound in space? I'll let that one slip past. Call it psycho-acoustic modelling (a la Shattered Horizon). Ship-gravity? Fine, they have a grav drive. Lasers? Well, I was seeing it more as ionized plasma, with actual 'lasers' reserved for beam-weapon categories.
But exactly what does a PAIR OF RADIATOR FANS exactly <i>do</i> on a spaceship, when it's one of the basic tenets even in sci-fi that there is no air? There is NOTHING for the Ford Fiesta fans to <i>act</i> on. Brake lights? They'd serve a purpose. Same as wheels, mechanical locking handles... hell, even allowing a cockpit with a roll-down window could be argued (if the pilot was wearing a spacesuit and carrying some kind of firearm).
But a radiator fan on a spaceship is even LESS useful than a screen door on a submarine. It is antithetic to its very purpose. Simply by existing in association, it is inherently pointless. You might as well have turboprop engines on it. Or maybe an outboard boat motor. It's the same level of 'well, that's ridiculously goofy'. Less of nitpicking than facepalming.
BOOM done.
(PS- FTL drives won't fit on anything smaller than a Frigate. They tried retrofitting one onto a Broadsword during one of the games, but it just exploded.)
In other news <a href="http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/cig/star-citizen" target="_blank">the Kickstarter reached its goal</a> and still has another 26 days to go.